The German Materials Society (DGM) awarded Dr Yan Ma, head of the group “Sustainable Synthesis of Materials” at the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung (MPIE), with the DGM Prize for Young Talent. Ma works on the carbon-free synthesis of iron and steel focussing on how iron ores can be reduced with hydrogen, hydrogen plasma and ammonia. His research is significant for the production of green steel, which, if successfully applied, would cut worldwide carbon emissions by 8%.
Ma is an expert in conducting complicated in-operando experiments based on large quantum-beam synchrotron and neutron facilities providing insights into the real-time reaction phenomena and mechanisms during the hydrogen-based direction reduction of iron oxides.
The DGM Prize for Young Talent is awarded by the German Materials Society and aims at doctoral students or graduates who received their degree less than two years ago at the time of the proposal, and whose research results show an excellent performance. The prize is awarded a maximum of four times a year.
